
Global Neuro Course— Neurotrauma and Neurocritical Care
With Hands-on Sessions for Neurosurgery Residents and Demonstrations for Nurses
- 22 - 24 August 2025
- United States | Milwaukee
- Shelly Timmons Medical College of Wisconsin
- David Okonkwo University of Pittsburgh
- Gregory Hawryluk Cleveland Clinic
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Registration fee: USD 100.00
The Global Neuro Course—Neurotrauma and Neurocritical Care, covers the theoretical basis and practical principles for managing traumatic brain and spine injuries and making proper decisions in daily clinical practice.
Course Delivery Format: Lectures, Interactive Sessions with Audience Response System / Gamification, Hands-On Cranial and Spinal Sessions with Instrumentation, Demonstrations of Neuromonitoring Equipment, Neuroendovascular Simulation.
The Global Neuro Course—Neurotrauma for Residents has been developed for neurosurgical residents, nneurosurgeons, trauma surgeons and other physicians, and neurocritical care and neuroscience nurses. The course aims to provide additional education on the complex management issues surrounding traumatic injuries, including traumatic brain injury, spinal cord and spinal column injury, blunt vascular injury, and peripheral nerve injury.
Hands-on sessions are provided for neurosurgery residents to stimulate interest in surgical and procedural techniques for managing the diverse injuries neurosurgeons face in training and in practice. Residents will be exposed to a variety of perspectives from neurotrauma leaders around the country on the use of multimodality neuromonitoring and complex management issues to augment their experiences in their home training programs. They will also be exposed to current thoughts on the future of the specialty.
The Saturday morning session will be open to practicing physicians and nurses and CME and CEU credits will be offered. The hands-on training session will be for residents only; however, some displays may be available for nurses or physicians to observe. The Sunday morning session is meant primarily for residents, but attending physicians and nurses may attend with prior reservations due to space limitations.
Course Description
This course covers the current best strategies and considerations for managing neurotrauma patients and is based on competencies defined in Global Neuro’s curriculum. The course focuses on cranial, spinal, and other forms of neurotrauma. The content is delivered using multiple methods. Comprehensive lectures and audience response activities concentrate on the understanding of core material. Interactive case presentations further deepen this knowledge and enrich the discussion on trauma management. Practical sessions teach the application of Global Neuro principles to the surgical and procedural aspects of neurotrauma management.
The course aims to provide additional education on the complex management issues surrounding traumatic injuries, including traumatic brain injury, spinal cord and spinal column injury, blunt vascular injury, and peripheral nerve injury.
By completing this course, participants will be better able to:
- Review evidentiary bases for prognostication, diagnosis, and management of various neurotrauma injuries, including those to the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, spinal column, craniofacial structures, and craniocervical vasculature.
- Be familiar with the breadth and depth of neurotrauma diagnoses, treatments, and controversies.
- Understand the surgical anatomy and be facile with basic techniques including: ventriculostomy; decompressive craniectomy; internal fixation for occiput to C2, subaxial cervical spine, and thoracolumbar spine injuries; and basic endovascular techniques.
- Be familiar with innovations taking place in the care of neurotrauma patients
- Discuss controversies in neurotrauma, areas of equipoise and lack of evidence, and understand the arguments for various positions regarding controversial management issues
DAY ONE: SATURDAY, AUGUST 23, 2025
07:00 - 08:00
Continental Breakfast at the MCW Medical Education Building Alumni Center
Break
Session I: Diagnosis and Prognosis (115 Minutes)
MCW Medical Education Building Kerrigan Auditorium
08:00 - 08:05
Welcome and Introductions; Global Neuro Overview
Lecture
08:05 - 08:15
Whaddya Know?
Discussion
- Based upon categories from the long-running public radio quiz show.
- Audience Response System to be used to ask ~10 questions about TBI and SCI diagnosis, prognosis, and management.
- Responses will be used to level-set knowledge level of audience and help faculty direct comments to level of sophistication.
08:15 - 08:35
Prognostication in TBI: What Do We Know?
Lecture
08:35 - 08:55
Neuroimaging Innovations in TBI and SCI
Lecture
08:55 - 09:05
Q&A / Open Discussion
Discussion
Moderators: David Okonkwo and Randall Chesnut
David Okonkwo
09:05 - 09:25
Neurocritical Care Issues in TBI Management
Lecture
09:25 - 09:45
Cognitive Sequelae and Rehabilitation After TBI
Lecture
09:45 - 09:55
Q&A / Open Discussion
Discussion
Moderators: Laura Ngwenya and Douglas Terry
Douglas Terry
09:55 - 10:15
Coffee Break (20 minutes)
Break
Session II: Fundamentals of Neurotrauma Management (120 Minutes)
MCW Medical Education Building Kerrigan Auditorium
10:15 - 10:25
Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me!
Discussion
- Based upon the long-running public radio knowledge and trivia game, audience members will pit their knowledge of neurotrauma facts on management against expert panelists in a quick round of 10 questions
- Categories: Current Events; Bluff the Residents; Limerick Challenge
10:25 - 10:45
Management of Craniofacial Trauma
Lecture
10:45 - 11:00
Management of Pediatric Spine Trauma
Lecture
11:00 - 11:10
Q&A / Open Discussion
Discussion
Moderators: T. Jayde Nail and Sean Lew
11:10 - 11:30
Management of High C-Spine Trauma
Lecture
11:30 - 11:45
Management of Subaxial Cervical Spine Trauma
Lecture
11:45 - 12:05
Management of Thoracolumbar Trauma
Lecture
12:15 - 13:15
Working Lunch at the MCW Medical Education Building Alumni Center
Break
Please allow 5 minutes for transitions between rooms and 3 minutes for information on local attractions.
12:20 - 12:23
Local Attractions
Lecture
12:23 - 12:33
Let’s Make a Deal!
Discussion
Attendees will be asked to guess the value/cost of various supplies. Winners will receive door prizes, such as Global Neuro - and sponsor- branded items, models / sawbones, free registration for future courses, etc.
12:33 - 13:09
Video Demonstrations Over Lunch for All Three Sessions (36 Minutes)
Lecture
Door #1: Ventriculostomy and Craniotomy (10 Minutes)
Door #2: Cervical Spine Fixation Techniques (10 Minutes)
Door #2: Thoracolumbar Spine Fixation Techniques (10 Minutes)
Door #3: Endovascular Simulator (6 Minutes)
Session III: Hands-On Sessions (180 Minutes)
MCW Medical Education Form and Function Laboratory
Door #1 and Door #3 (90 Minutes, 27 Attendees)
Door #2: Spine Fixation Techniques (90 Minutes, 27 Attendees)
13:15 - 16:15
Door #1: Ventriculostomy and Craniotomy (60 min), 27 Attendees
Workshop
This session is designed with realistic cranial models, fixation devices, intra-parenchymal monitors, and ventricular catheters. Goals are to be facile with instruments required to perform these procedures, understand external landmarks, be familiar with both basics and nuances of technique. Model also allows for evacuation of subdural hematoma, resection of intracranial tumor, placement of shunt.
Set up for six stations, 3 or 4 attendees each:
- Two Stations: EVD and Multi-Modality Monitoring (Webb)
- Two Stations: Decompressive Craniotomy (Chesnut)
- Two Stations: SDH Evacuation (Stippler)
- Stations on non-invasive techniques, such as pupillometry
Other Faculty: Gupta, Lew, Manley, Timmons
Rotate Every 20 Minutes
Geoffrey Manley
Shelly Timmons
Sharon We
13:15 - 16:15
Door #3: Neurovascular Simulator (30 Minutes) 27 attendees
Workshop
This session will allow attendees to perform endovascular catheter interventions on a simulator including the opportunity to deploy endovascular devices.
Set up for three stations, 3 attendees each.
Leader: Hidat Hedayat
Other Faculty: Rocco Armonda, Sharon Webb,
Sharon We
13:15 - 16:15
Door #2: Spine Fixation Techniques (90 Minutes, 27 Attendees)
Workshop
This session is designed to provide experience with various fixation techniques of the occiput to C2 and the subaxial cervical spine. Goals are to be facile with the instrumentation, understand landmarks and trajectories, and indications for techniques.
Set up for nine stations, 3 each: Occiput to C2, Subaxial C-Spine, Thoracolumbar Spine
Rotate every 30 minutes.
- Zwagerman (Leader for Upper C-Spine)
- Sieg (Leader Subaxial C-Spine)
- Okonkwo (Leader Thoracolumbar Spine)
- Nail (Leader Thoracolumbar Spine)
Other Faculty: Cervical Spine: Hawryluk, Ngwenya, Pease, and Thoracolumbar Spine: Kurpad, Vedantam
David Okonkwo
Jayde Nail
Laura Ngwenya
Matthew Pease
Emily Sieg
Nathan Zwagerman
16:15 - 16:30
Beverage Break and Transition to Lecture Hall
Break
Session IV: Special Topics in Neurotrauma I (PEARLS) (75 Minutes)
MCW Medical Education Building Kerrigan Auditorium
16:30 - 16:40
Jeopardy! (10 Minutes)
Discussion
In the Style of Jeopardy, audience members will compete to answer 10 questions regarding special topics. The moderator will read the answer / clues until the correct answer is shouted out. The answer must be formulated as a question.
16:40 - 16:55
Blunt Vascular Injuries
Lecture
16:55 - 17:10
Post-Traumatic Seizure Disorders
Lecture
17:10 - 17:25
Penetrating Brain Injury Management Pearls
Lecture
17:25 - 17:40
Penetrating Brain Injury Guidelines
Lecture
17:40 - 17:45
Q&A / Open Discussion
Discussion
Gregory Hawryluk
Matthew Pease
17:45 - 18:00
Wrap-Up and Prize Distribution
Discussion
Networking Reception with Faculty, Sponsors, Attendees (60 Minutes)
MCW Hub for Collaborative Medicine Dunn Auditorium
(Soft Drinks, Wine, Beer, Hors d'oeuvres)
DAY TWO: SUNDAY, AUGUST 24, 2025
07:30 - 08:00
Continental Breakfast and Luggage Storage (30 minutes)
Break
MCW Hub for Collaborative Medicine Dunn Auditorium Foyer
Session V: Special Topics in Neurotrauma II (PEARLS) (95 Minutes)
MCW Hub for Collaborative Medicine Dunn Auditorium
08:00 - 08:10
$10,000 Pyramid (10 Minutes)
Discussion
Attendees will answer questions by neurotrauma categories: brain injury, spinal cord injury, spinal column injury, peripheral nerve injury, blunt vascular injury, and neurocritical care. The moderator will list single word clues for a particular syndrome associated with each category until the correct answer is shouted out.
08:10 - 08:25
Peripheral Nerve Injury (15 minutes)
Lecture
08:25 - 08:40
Decompressive Craniotomy (15 minutes)
Lecture
08:40 - 08:55
Geriatric Patients with TBI (15 Minutes)
Lecture
08:55 - 09:10
Reversal of Antithrombotic Medications (15 Minutes)
Lecture
09:10 - 09:25
Biomarkers in TBI and SCI (15 Minutes)
Lecture
09:25 - 09:35
Q&A / Open Discussion / Prizes (10 Minutes)
Discussion
Shelly Timmons
Emily Sieg
Sharon We
Session VI: Controversies and Emerging Issues (30 Minutes)
MCW Hub for Collaborative Medicine Dunn Auditorium
09:35 - 10:05
Use of Artificial Intelligence in Neurotrauma (30 Minutes)
Discussion
To Tell the Truth
- Scripted statements on controversial topic citing evidence from three panelists making convincing arguments.
- Two are false and one is true.
- Audience must decide which statement is true and respond via ARS.
- Each panelist with a false statement then explains why their statement was false.
- Each panelist will provide multiple statements.
Moderator: Rocco Armonda
10:05 - 10:15
Coffee Break (10 Minutes)
Break
MCW Hub for Collaborative Medicine Dunn Auditorium Foyer
10:15 - 10:45
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (30 Minutes)
Discussion
Moderator: Greg Hawryluk
Gregory Hawryluk
David Okonkwo
Douglas Terry
10:45 - 11:15
Steroids in Spinal Cord Injury (30 Minutes)
Discussion
Moderator: Okonkwo
Geoffrey Manley
David Okonkwo
Shelly Timmons
11:15 - 11:45
Management of Chronic SDH (30 Minutes)
Discussion
Moderator: Laura Ngwenya
Sharon We
Session VII: The Future of Neurotrauma with Boxed Lunches (95 Minutes)
MCW Hub for Collaborative Medicine Dunn Auditorium
11:45 - 12:00
A New Framework for TBI Nomenclature & Classification (15 Minutes)
Lecture
12:00 - 12:15
Quality Registries, Benchmarking, Certification (15 Minutes)
Lecture
12:15 - 12:25
The Price is Right (10 Minutes)
Discussion
The moderator will ask various questions about epidemiology, costs of care, societal burden, and other socioeconomic factors related to neurotrauma, and audience members will respond anonymously.
12:25 - 12:40
Global Clinical Burden of Neurotrauma (15 Minutes)
Lecture
12:40 - 12:55
Global Financial Burden of Neurotrauma (15 Minutes)
Lecture
12:55 - 13:20
Global Neurotrauma Panel Discussion (25 Minutes)
Discussion
Panel: Kurpad, Vedantam and Zwagerman
13:20 - 13:25
Thank Yous, Reminders, and Wrap-Up (5 Minutes)
Lecture
Phone: +41768240488, Email: linda.domeisen@globalneuro.org
Cancellation Policy: 50% until 30 days before the event. No refund thereafter.
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